News Broadcasting
Warner announces JV with China Audio Video
MUMBAI: Warner Home Video has made major progress in China. The company has announced the historic formation of CAV Warner Home Entertainment.
The joint venture with China Audio Video makes Warner Bros. the first US studio to establish an in-country DVD/VCD distribution and marketing operation in China. Based in Shanghai, CAV Warner Home Entertainment has officially launched operations.
The announcement follows extensive analysis by Warner Home Video of the dynamic Chinese home video market and its potential for continued growth. As a result of this research, Warner Home Video chose to partner with China Audio Video to capitalise on China’s enormous consumer demand, which is projected to exceed one billion units this year and includes a growing appetite for legitimate alternatives to poor quality pirated goods.
As a precursor to the full-scale nationwide rollout for CAV Warner Home Entertainment, China’s foremost retail and video outlets including Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Xinhua Book Store, Carrefour, R.T. Mart and Maya began carrying select new releases in November, including Troy, The Last Samurai and three NBA titles. These titles debuted in key cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Nanjing.
By the end of the third quarter of the year, CAV Warner Home Entertainment’s nationwide market introduction will be completed and its products will be available throughout China. Warner Home Video president Jim Cardwell said, “Warner Home Video operates the largest global video distribution system in the world. China has been an important market for years, but too often Chinese consumers have had to choose inferior products on the illegitimate market that were available sooner but with poor quality. CAV Warner Home Video is committed to creating a better consumer experience and increased demand for legitimate products via world-class quality, reduced pricing, Mandarin dubbing and sub-titles, enhanced content and shortened release windows.”
China Audio and Video Publishing House (CAV) president Wang Xiaoran also will be the president of the JV. He says, “The potential for legitimate sales in China is extraordinary. We hope to solidify the legitimate home video market in China and while we have made great progress to date we have much work to do in the future. However, the combination of Warner Home Video’s expertise and our relationships and infrastructure will make CAV Warner Home Entertainment an unparalleled force in China’s home entertainment market.”
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
